Langley-Adams Library Recommendations

" In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive. Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other." (Goodreads.com) The Grace Year is a story that makes you roll your eyes at the ridiculous traditions and stereot...

"I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one's self on this earth is not a hardship, but a pastime, if we will live simply and wisely." So said Henry David Thoreau in 1845 when he began his famous experiment in living on Walden Pond. In this graphic masterpiece, John Porcellino uses only the words of Thoreau himself to tell the story of those two years off the beaten track. The pared-down text focuses on Thoreau's most profound ideas, and Porcellino's fresh, simple pictures bring the philosopher's sojourn at Walden to cinematic life. For readers who know  Walden  intimately, this graphic treatment will provide a vivid new interpretation of Thoreau's story. For those who have never read (or never completed!) the original, it presents a contemporary look at a few brave words to live by." (Goodreads.com) Thoreau at Walden  was a helpful graphic novel to pair with the full text version of Walden and Civil Disobedience. Its simplisti...

"Henry David Thoreau was a sturdy individualist and a lover of nature. In March, 1845, he built himself a wooden hut on the edge of Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts, where he lived until September 1847.  Walden  is Thoreaus autobiograophical account of his Robinson Crusoe existence, bare of creature comforts but rich in contemplation of the wonders of nature and the ways of man.  On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience  is the classic protest against government's interference with individual liberty, and is considered one of the most famous essays ever written." (Goodreads.com) Walden and Civil Disobedience   has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite some time waiting to be read. I decided to listen to the audio book which helped me get into the text. While it isn't a gripping read, I thought it was an interesting account of one man's personal experience. It's also a resource to look at the natural and political world of New England in the mid- 1800s. I rec...

"A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.  Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: d...

" March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1950s comic book  Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story . Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations." (Goodreads.com) The March series  is a great resource not only for educators but for anyone who is interested in learning more about the American Civil Rights Movement .  Being a graphic novel does not make this an easy read. It really brings to life the events that John Lewis experienced and is full of information. Meghan McCabe Children & Youth Services Librarian Available at the Langle...